Mine-gate.



Patented Jan. 30, I900.

N. K. BOWMAN.

M l N E G A T E.

(Application filed May 26, 1899) 4 Sheets$heet (No Model.)

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Patented Jan. 30, I900.

N. K. BOWMAN.

MINE GATE {Application filed May 26, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Jan. 30, I900.

N. K. BOWMAN.

MINE GATE.

[Application filed May 26, 1899.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Patent ed Jan., 30, I900.

N. K. BOWMAN.

MINE GATE.

(Application filed May 26, 1899.)

5] "um I :01,

Maia/e, Kfiownamz 6 Norm M 3 Z I 7 W 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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ilrrirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NEWTON K. BOXVMAN, OF NORTH LAIVRENCE, OIlIO.

MINE-GATE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 642,201, dated January 30, 1900. Application filed May 26, 1899. Serial No. 718,394. (No model.)

To (LU whont if 77mg concern.-

Be it known that I, NEWTON K. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Lawrence, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Gates; and I do here by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In ventilating mines the air passing through the shaft under pressure is distributed and caused to circulate through the working entries or passages by deflecting means commonly known as gates, which until quite recently have been generally manipulated by an attendant. In the latest form of gates actuating mechanism has been combined therewith for automatically opening the gate by the approach of a car, said gate closing of itself after the car has passed to a safe dis tance therefrom, so as to avoid interference with the effective workings of the gate and insure the advantages thereof.

This invention relates most especially to the operating mechanism whereby the gate is opened by the car automatically from either approach, the object being to reduce the number of working parts to the fewest possible and to dispose them so as to occupy a minimum amount of space and to operate effectively and with certainty and celerity, Whereby the gate will respond quickly and clear the way for the approaching car and prevent the same from striking or running against the gate and injuring and disabling it.

The actuating mechanisms are disposed at the same side of the track and upon opposite sides of the gate and are positively interlocked, whereby simultaneously movement of both is rendered certain.

Within the scope of the invention it is to be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

For a full understanding of the merits, ad-

vantages, and details of construction of the,

invention reference is to be had to the following description and the drawings hereto attached, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a mine gate, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, partly in section and parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail view in elevation of the actuating means for the gate, showing the interlocking connections between the oppositely-disposed operating devices. Fig. 4 is a detailview of the elements comprising the hinge connection between the adjacent ends of corresponding actuating-bars. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of a rock-shaft, the inner and outer arms thereof, and the hinge connection between the inner crank-arm and longitudinal actuating-bar. Fig. 6 is a transverse section about on line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a gate adapted to fold, showing portions of the oppositely-disposed actuating mechanisms. Fig. Sis a plan section of the gate and frame. Fig. 9 isadetail perspective view of the upper end of a vertical post, showing the end portion of the transverse shaft and the grooved pulleys applied thereto. Fig. 10 is a detail view in perspective of an end portion of the angle-weight applied to the lower end of the gate and the gatherer fitted thereto.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The frame for supporting and directing the gate in its movements comprises vertical posts 1, disposed at opposite sides of the track 2, and a cross-timber 3, joining the upper ends of the posts. The gate 4 is flexible and is adapted to wind upon a roller or to rise by a folding action. In either form the gate is weighted at its lower end, so as to close automatically, and is stiffened and strengthened by transverse strips 5, attached to one side thereof and spaced at desired intervals apart. In the preferred construction the gate is adapted to Wind upon a roller 6, journaled at its ends to the upper portion of the frame and having a grooved pulley 7 applied to the projecting end of one of its journals. Theinner or opposing sides of the posts 1 are vertically grooved or channeled, so as to receive the edge portions of the gate an (1 result in the provision of a close joint between said posts and the opposite edge portions of the gate. More to receive the rock-shafts.

over, the terminal portions of the weight-bar 8 at the lower end of the gate and of the strips 5 enter the grooves orguideways 9 and prevent bulging or bellying of the gate to any appreciable extent when extended across the entry and receiving the full force of the current of air. The space between the cross-timber 3 and the upper end of the gate is closed by a curtain or apron 10, which is attached at its upper edge to the cross-tim her 3 and stiffened at its lower edge by a rod or bar applied thereto and which is adapted to contact with the roller 6 when the gate is closed and prevent the escape of air.

Parallel rock-shafts 11 are journaled in bearings located upon opposite sides of the gate and adjacent to a vertical post of the frame and are provided at their inner ends with crank-arms 12 and at their outer ends with toothed quadrants or sectors 13, which have their teeth intermeshing, whereby the rock-shafts receive a simultaneous movement in opposite directions. The toothed quadrants or sectors 13 have arms 1% for attachment of a lever 15, according as the actuating devices are located upon either the right or the left hand side of the track. Other rock-shafts 16 are located a distance from the rock-shafts 11 and are mounted in similarlyconstructed bearings 17 and are provided at their inner ends with crank-arms 18 and at their outer ends with oppositely-disposed crank-arms 19, which are connected to one another and to wrist-pins 20, applied to the quadrants or sectors 1.3 by means of rods or like means 21. The bearings 17 consist of base-plates and vertical standards or uprights, three in number, which are apertured Collars 22 are secured to the several rock-shafts by means of binding-screws and are located between adjacent standards or uprights of the respective bearings and are designed to prevent longitudinal movement of the rook-shafts.

Longitudinal bars 23 are disposed at one side of the track and at the opposite sides of the plane of the gate and are mounted upon the terminal crank-arms of the several rockshafts. These bars are preferably of L form in cross-section, so as to secure a vertical and lateral bracing action with a minimum amount of material. It is obvious that the bars may be of any formation so long as they are adapted to be actuated by a part of the moving car, so as to effect anopening of the gate and prevent the closing thereof until the car has passed to a safe distance beyond the gate. The ends of the bars 23 adjacent to the gate will be designated as the inner ends and the distal ends as the outer ends. The bearings 24, applied to the inner ends and medially of the bars 23, consist of plates or straps of metal having an end portion rolled or formed into an eye to receive the wrists of the inner crank-arms. The bearings 25 at the outer ends of the bars 23 are formed of metal straps folded upon themselves, an eye being provided at the fold to receive the wrists of the inner crank-arms of the outer rock-shat ts. Slots 26 are formed in the folded ends of the bearings 25 and intersect with the eyes 27 thereof and are adapted to receive the upper ends of links 28, by means of which the outer ends of the bars 23 are connected to the terminal ends of bracket-arms 29, secured to the proximal ends of inclined bars 30. The upper end of each link 28 is connected with the respective bearing 25 by the wrist of the crank-arm mounted therein. The bars 30 are pivotally supported at their outer ends and incline upwardly and inwardly toward the bars 23 and are normally spaced a short distance therefrom, so as to admit of the proximal ends of the said bars 23 and 30 approaching when the bars are depressed by the action of the moving car, as will be readily comprehended. The link 28 constitutes in effect a loose or swinging hinge connection between the opposing ends of the actuating-bars 23 and 30 and causes a simultaneous movement thereof when the car approaches and passes the gate. The bars 30 are of angle-iron or L form in cross-section, one wing thereof facing inward and being disposed horizontally and the other wing arranged vertically. The terminal ends of the vertical wings are outwardly deflected, so as to prevent catching thereof upon a part of the car.

As previously stated, the lever 15 will be attached to one or the other of the quadrantarms 14, according as the gate is either a right or a left hand gate. This lever is provided at its upper end with-a series of openings 31, and a tape, cord, or flexible connection 32 ad j ustably connects the lever 14 with the grooved pulley 7 and is adapted to wind upon the latter. The outer or free end of the flexible connection 32 is provided with a hook 33, which is adapted to make engagement with the lever 14 by passing through any one of the series of openings 31, formed therein. An adjustable stop 34 is secured to the vertical post 1 adjacent to the lever 14 and is adapted to engage with the latter and limit its return movement and hold the said lever in a normal position.

The parts being disposed substantially as shown in Fig. 1 and a car approaching the gate in either direction will come in contact with the inclined bar 30 by the rim or flange of the foremost wheel riding thereon and depress said bar and the connected bar 23 and operate the rock-shafts and the lever 14 and cause the gate to rise and clear the way for the passage of the car. A depression of the inclined bar at one side of the gate will cause.

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a simultaneous depression, of all the bars by til the last wheel of the car leaves the inclined bar 30 remote from that actuated by the approach of the car to open the gate. The gate being weighted will close automatically, the combined weight of the several bars 23 and 30 being less than the actuating weight of the gate, so as to admit of their return to a normal position as the gate closes by reason of the weight 8, applied thereto. By disposing the operating devices at the same side of the track simplicity and economy of construction result and a compact arrangement is affected.

When the gate is of the type adapted to open by a folding action, its upper end is attached directly to the crosstimber 3, the curtain or apron 10 being dispensed with, and the weight 8 applied toits lowerend is of L form and has its end portions projecting into the grooves or guideways 9 of the vertical post 1 a sufficient distance to receive the lower ends 7 of operating-cables 35, which are attached thereto at their lower-ends and have their upper ends secured to grooved pulleys 36, applied to the ends of a transverse shaft 37, said cables clearing the edges of the gate and the extremities of the stiffening-strips 5. The transverse shaft 87 corresponds to the roller 6 and is provided at one end with the grooved pulley 7, which is connected with the lever l4c by means of the tape, cord, or like device 32. A wooden plate 38 is secured to the horizontal wing of the angle-weight S, and an edge portion projects beyond said wing and is adapted to have a strip 39 secured thereto,the lower end of the gate being clamped between said plate and strip. lJ-shaped gatherers 4.0 are secured to the end portions of the weight 8 and project part way into the grooves or guideways 9 of the vertical posts 1 and have the upper end portions of their side members oppositely flared, as shown at all, the portions of the gatherers entering the guideways 9 having the flaring parts cut away, so as to admit of the side portions touching the side walls of the guideways. The purpose of the parts a0 is to receive the folds of the gate as the latter rises to make provision for the free passage of the car. It will be understood that the lifting force is applied directly to the lower end of the gate by reason of the attachment of the cable 35 to the weight 8. Hence when the cables are wound upon the grooved pulleys 36 the gate will be lifted and gathered into folds, which will be received within the parts 40 in a compact form and prevent abrasive action thereof against the side walls of the guideways 9.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a self-closing mine 'gate of the variety set forth, rock-shafts disposed upon opposite sides of the plane of the gate, positive interlocking means between said rock-shafts for effecting a simultaneous movement thereof in opposite directions, means connecting one of the rock-shafts with the gate to compel an opening thereof when the rock-shafts are operated, and actuating means operatively connected with each of the rock-shafts, and adapted to be engaged by the moving car, substantialiy as set forth.

2. In a mine-gate of the character described, actuating-bars located upon opposite sides of the gatein longitudinal alinement and mounted for simultaneous movement in opposite directions,positively-connected rock-shafts having independent connection with the respective actuating-bars, a connection between one of the roclrshafts and the gate to effect an opening of the latter, and means operatively connected with the actuating-bars and adapted to be engaged by the moving car to cause a movement thereof, substantially as described.

In a self-closing mine-gate of the class specified, actuating-bars disposed upon opposite sides of the plane of the gate in longitudinal alinement and mounted for simultaneous movementin opposite directions, rockshafts having independent connection with the respective actuating-bars, positively-intel-locking means applied to the rock-shafts to compel a synchronous movement thereof in reverse directions, a lever applied to one of the rock-shafts, an adjustable connection between said lever and the gate, and operating means applied to the operating-bars, sub stantially as set forth.

4. In a self-closing mine-gate of the character described, actuating-bars located upon opposite sides of the plane of the gate, rockshafts operatively connected with the said actuating-bars, intermeshing toothed elements applied to the rock-shafts to effect a simultaneous movement thereof in opposite directions, a lever adapted to be applied to either one of the toothed elements, and a connection between said lever and gate, substantially as set forth.

5. In a mine-gate of the type described, actuating-bars located upon opposite sides of the plane of the gate, rock-shafts operatively connected with said actuating-bars, interlocking toothed elements applied to the rockshafts and formed with arms, a lever adapted to be attached to the arm of either of the toothed elements, an adjustable stop disposed in the path of said lever, and an adjustable connection between the said lever and gate, substantially as specified.

6. In a self-closing mine-gate of the character set forth, a longitudinally-disposed actuating-bar operatively connected with the gate,an inclined actuating-bar mounted upon a fixed pivot, a bracket-arm applied to the proximal end of one of the actuating-bars, and a swinging link pivotally connecting the terminal of the bracket-arm with the other proximal end of the other actuating-bar, substantially as set forth.

7. In a self-closing mine-gate of the variety set forth, a longitudinally-disposed actuating-bar operatively connected with the gate, a relatively-inclined actuating-bar mounted upon a fixed pivot, a bracket-arm pendent from the proximal end of an actuating-bar, a link pivotally connected with the terminal of the bracket-arm, and a rock-shaft provided with a crank-arm having its wrist pivotally connecting the other end of the said link with the proximal end of the opposite actuatingbar, substantially as described.

8. In combination with a mine-gate of the character set forth and actuating mechanism therefor, a. gathering device applied to the lower end of the gate and adapted to receive the folds of said gate as the latter is operated to clear the entry, substantially as specified.

9. In a mine-gate of the class set forth, and actuating mechanism therefor, gatherers of approximately U form applied to the lower end of the gate for receiving the folds, sub- I stantially as described.

U-shaped gatherers applied to the lower end of the gate and having the end portions of their side members oppositely flared, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a mine-gate of the variety set forth, vertical guides disposed at the sides of the gate, gatherers of approximately U form applied to the lower end of the gate and having the end portions of their side members oppositely flared, said gatherers extending a short distance into said guideways and having the flaring portions of the parts entering said guideway cut away, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NEWTON K. BOIVMAN. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

V. B. HILLYARD, C. C. HINES. 

